


I Don't Want You To Leave, Will You Hold My Hand?

by kikikryslee



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Actor Louis, Alternate Universe, American Harry, Anal Sex, Angst, Blow Jobs, Bottom Louis, British Louis, Closeted Character, Famous Louis, Los Angeles, M/M, Nervous Harry, Non-Famous Harry, Oblivious Louis, Pining, Riding, Smut, Top Harry, it relates back to the main prompt and everything, there actually is a Halloween connection in here believe it or not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-07
Updated: 2015-10-07
Packaged: 2018-04-24 01:19:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4900048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kikikryslee/pseuds/kikikryslee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I’m so close to making heads roll it’s ridiculous," Louis snarled.<br/>He took a few calming breaths before looking at the terrified-looking employee at the counter.<br/>“Welcome to Pinkberry,” he greeted timidly. “Can I help you?”<br/>Louis sighed before slowly approaching.<br/>“Hi, um…” he read the name tag he wore on his apron, “Harry. Sorry you had to see that.”<br/>---<br/>After breaking up with his boyfriend and going on one too many pap walks, Louis starts to consider moving home to London for a fresh start. Pinkberry employee and all-around good listener Harry makes him maybe not want to.<br/>Featuring Liam as Louis' agent, Niall as Louis' voice of reason and a whole lot of strange orders at Pinkberry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Don't Want You To Leave, Will You Hold My Hand?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [b_o_m_a_s](https://archiveofourown.org/users/b_o_m_a_s/gifts).



> So, I sort of ran away with the prompt? The basic part of it is there, but I expanded on it A LOT. I hope that's cool. The original plot is listed in the end notes.  
> I just want to thank [Nicki](http://themanyfaceswewear.tumblr.com/) for helping me figure out my plot for this fic! You were so helpful!  
> And of course, to my beta, [Ellie](http://theooolytoooly.tumblr.com/)! You were a champion, agreeing to beta this fic at pretty much the last minute. You're awesome!  
> The title is from "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith.
> 
>  
> 
> **DO NOT post this story or any of my other stories on any other websites. I'm not comfortable with that, and I hope that you can please respect that. If you see any of my stories on another website, please let me know. I am also NOT currently authorizing translations of any of my stories at this time. I hope you can respect that, as well. Thank you!**

“I think we should break up.”

Louis paused, his water glass halfway to his lips.

He fixed Zayn with a stare, unable – or unwilling – to process the six words his boyfriend had just said.

“Excuse me?”

“I want to break up.”

“You know,” Louis started, “hearing it a second time with a slightly different phrasing doesn’t make me understand it any more. Is this a joke?”

“It’s not a joke, Lou. I’m sorry.”                                                                         

“Why?”

Zayn sighed. “Lou…”

“Don’t call me that. Now tell me why.”

“Because I can’t do this anymore! The whole secret relationship thing was cool at first, but it’s been ten months and we’re still no closer to being public.”

“I  _told you,_ ” Louis gritted out, trying to keep his voice down, “that there’s a plan in place, and you just have to be patient. You said it was OK.”

“Yes. Ten months ago. I thought it would be done by now, or at least we’d be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”

“Fuck you!”

“Keep your voice down,” Zayn hissed.

“Is that why you brought me to a restaurant? In the middle of the day? To complain about a secret relationship? So I wouldn’t make a scene?”

Zayn blinked once, but said nothing.

“You know, you’re not as clever as you think you are,” Louis mocked.

“Louis, please-“

“Please what? You brought me here; we haven’t even ordered yet; you tell me you want to break up because it’s too hard on  _you_ – did you even think about how hard it’s been for me? I’m the one in the closet, not you. You’re free to date whoever you want.”

“And that should’ve been you, but instead, your management has you under some weird plan that’s going to take God only knows how much longer.”

“It’s not my fault!” Louis snapped across the table. “It’s not my fault. I didn’t ask for this!”

“Neither did I!”

“Well fine. You didn’t ask for a secret relationship, but I didn’t ask for a shitty boyfriend, either.”

 Louis balled up his napkin and threw it on the table.

“Oh, wait. Ex-boyfriend.”

He stood up despite Zayn protesting for him to sit back down.

“Don’t call me,” Louis spat as he walked out.

There was beer in his fridge he was dying to get home to.

At least that had never let him down before.

\---

Louis lay in bed a few days later, looking at the screen of his phone.

He had his last text conversation with Zayn open. He wasn’t even reading it anymore, and was instead, just staring, willing himself to delete the whole thing.

He tapped the upper left-hand part of the screen, taking him back to his Inbox. He swiped left, bringing up the little red ‘Delete’ square.

He was just about to press it – he swore on his life, he was about to – but then the screen went black and his agent’s name popped up on the screen.

The ringtone was a song from Zayn’s last album.

He would have to change that.

He hit the green phone symbol to accept the call.

“Payno.”

“Hi, Louis. How are you today?”

“I’m fine, Liam,” Louis sighed. He ran his fingers through his light brown hair and gently scratched at his scalp. “How can I help you this beautiful morning?”

“Just wanted to make sure you remembered your visit to Pinkberry today.”

“You mean a pap walk? You can just say what it is, you know.”

“Fine. Pap walk. You happy?”

“Delighted. I can’t wait. I’m bringing Niall with me, by the way.”

“That’s fine with me. Look, Louis, just try to have fun with this, OK?”

“Fun? Sorry, I seem to have forgotten what that word means.”

“Fine, just try not to look too miserable, alright?” Liam pleaded.  “Remember, the more we do this and just, do whatever Irv wants, the faster you’re out. OK?”

“I’m not sure you’re supposed to tell me that, Agent Payne.”

“No, but I’m telling you this as your friend. I do care about what you want, you know.”

Louis didn’t say anything.

“And I know you’re upset, and I don’t want you to lash out at the pap that’s gonna be there. That could set this back more than I want to think about.”

Louis took a deep breath.

Liam had a point.

Of course he had a point. It was Liam. No matter how much Louis didn’t want to admit it, Liam was always right.

Louis  _was_  upset about Zayn. He’d been the one that Louis thought he would come out with, so he’d gotten a little attached to the idea of Zayn being around for a while.

“OK. I’ll behave,” Louis finally spoke into the phone.

“Thank you. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Later.”

Louis hung up, and the screen returned to show him his text messages. 

With another sigh, Louis just locked his phone and dropped it to the bed.

He could still remember the day he and Zayn first met about a year and a half ago.

It was a bit unconventional, as the two were scheduled to film a sex scene for a straight-to-DVD movie they were working on. It was called  _Damage Revived,_ and was not only Louis’ most recent movie, but also Zayn’s movie debut.

The two of them didn’t start dating until after filming completed, but the worst part of the whole thing was that Louis hasn’t had a  _real_  acting job since.

He’d made a few appearances on popular TV shows like  _Criminal Minds_ , _American Horror Story_ and even  _Grey’s Anatomy,_ where he played a suicidal man who couldn’t handle his realization that he was gay and had a family full of homophobes.

But through it all, he’d had Zayn, standing by him and encouraging him to keep going, because his big break was coming.

Now Louis didn’t even have that.

So, his management had established a plan to send him on pap walks and continue getting his name out there, while, at Louis’ persistent request, simultaneously getting the public ready for Louis Tomlinson, Gay Actor.

Sometimes, Louis just wanted to say ‘fuck it all’ and get the hell out of L.A. Maybe go to New York and see what the Broadway scene was like.

Or, if he wanted to really get away, pack up his bags and dig out his passport so he could go home to Doncaster.

He’d been acting for eight years now, ever since he first moved to L.A. at the baby age of 18 and insisted that getting hired for a car commercial was going to put him on the map.

It sort of did, since he went on to be hired for supporting roles in actual movies, but it wasn’t what he thought it would be.

The lack of jobs – any job – rolling in at the moment  _definitely_  wasn’t what he thought it would be.

Louis wasn’t struggling, but might be if something didn’t happen soon.

He checked the time, and realized that Niall would be by in about an hour to pick him up.

With a groan, he pulled himself out of bed.

He might as well get this over with.

\---

“I don’t even like frozen yogurt,” Niall whined. “Why can’t we just go to Cold Stone?”

“Because Pinkberry has some contract with Irv,” Louis explained for possibly the millionth time. “Cross promotion and all that.”

“Is it like, good?”

“Ni, I’m sure you’ll find something you like in there. You’re not the pickiest person I’ve ever eaten with.”

Niall shrugged at the statement. It wasn’t like he could exactly deny it.

Niall parked his car in the lot around the corner, as previously instructed.

Before getting out, Louis located the paps that would be taking his picture.

They were standing on the corner, outside of a tall, brick building. He and Niall would have to walk right by them to get to the street that Pinkberry was actually on.

“OK, so don’t actually say anything to them, Niall,” Louis directed as they got out of the car.

“Wasn’t planning on it mate.”

Niall pulled a snapback out of his backseat and self-consciously put it on. He’d mentioned earlier that his roots were getting out of control, and he would need to dye his hair back to blonde as soon as he could.

Once Niall was ready, they started walking.

The short pap was the one who started.

He jumped in front of Louis and Niall and started taking pictures as he walked backward toward the shop. The second pap walked next to them, getting pictures from the side.

“Louis, who’s your friend?” the short one asked.

Louis just smiled at him, but kept his head down.

“What’s your name, man?” the second pap questioned.

Niall glanced at him and adjusted his sunglasses.

“Is he your boyfriend, Louis?”

Louis sighed and rolled his eyes.

Because of course any guy he’d be walking on the sidewalk with would be his boyfriend.

Liam had warned him about this. It was called seeding, meaning someone had to plant the idea of Louis being gay, or at least, not straight, in people’s minds before he actually came out.

He also warned that it would be annoying, and that people would say ridiculous things.

Just as they approached Pinkberry, one of them asked, “Louis, are you a top or a bottom?”

So close.

Louis retracted his hand from the door handle and turned his attention to the scumbag.

“Excuse me?” he snapped. “What did you just say to me?”

Niall grabbed his arm and pulled him along, practically shoving him into Pinkberry and making sure the door shut behind them.

“Fucking pricks,” Louis snarled. He stopped a few feet from the counter, making sure to keep his back toward the window.

“I know,” Niall said, walking up to him.

Louis could still hear the cameras clicking, undoubtedly taking more pictures of his tense form.

He turned his head slightly to the side so he could look right at Niall.

“Are they really allowed to ask that shit? Honestly, how invasive can they be?”

“They’re leaving,” Niall responded a moment later, peeking over his shoulder.

“Good. I’m so close to making heads roll it’s ridiculous.”

He took a few calming breaths before looking at the nervous-looking employee at the counter.

Well, ‘terrified’ might have been a better description. The boy’s posture was stick straight, and his arms were bent at the elbows, his hands placed on either side of the register.

“Welcome to Pinkberry,” he greeted timidly. “Can I help you?”

Louis sighed before slowly approaching.

“Hi, um…” he read the name tag he wore on his apron, “Harry. Sorry you had to see that.”

“It’s OK.” Harry squinted his big green eyes at Louis. “Do I know you from somewhere?”

“Probably not,” Louis answered quickly.

It wasn’t a lie. This guy looked to be a few years younger than Louis, and usually, the only people who still approached him in the streets were in their mid- to late-twenties, fans of the actual movies he’d been in a few years back. But those were few and far between.

“I’m having a bit of a rough day, Harry. So, what do you suggest?”

“Um, well, usually if I’m upset about something, I make the strangest combination I can. I get all stuff that I like, even if it doesn’t sound like it’ll go well together. I don’t know; I just get to be creative with what I eat. It sounds really lame, but-”

“It doesn’t sound lame,” Louis shook his head. He smiled at Harry, hoping to get the other man to relax a little.

Harry slowly smiled back before glancing down at the ingredients in front of him.

“Oh, here we go,” Niall sighed from beside him.

“What?” Louis whispered.

Niall shook his head slightly before asking, “You single, Harry?”

“Niall,” Louis hissed.

“What?” Harry wondered.

“Nothing. Ignore him. Um, so what were you saying about strange combinations?”

\---

A month later, Louis sat in Pinkberry again.

But this time, it was at the same table as Harry.

“You ready for this one?” Harry giggled.

“Bring it on,” Louis encouraged, taking a bite of his strawberry margarita yogurt-cookie dough-pineapple-caramel popcorn concoction.

“That one actually looks kind of disgusting,” Harry scrunched up his nose at Louis’ cup. “That might be one of the weirdest combinations we’ve made up.”

“I know, but it’s all going to the same place. Go ahead.”

Ever since Louis and Harry first met, they’d established a sort of tradition.

Every week since that first day, Louis would be sent on at least one repetitive pap walk somewhere around the city.

He sometimes had to go to Pinkberry, but on days that he didn’t, he wound up there anyway.

He liked talking to Harry. Sue him.

Plus, every time he visited, he and Harry would create a new crazy combination dessert. The first week had been mango frozen yogurt with peanut butter cups and raspberries.

The second week featured passionfruit frozen yogurt with brownie bites, fruity pebbles and something called ‘mochi’ on top.

His personal favorite was the tangerine yogurt with gummy bears, chocolate sauce and smarties.

He’d definitely gotten a stomachache from all of the sugar that day.

Harry shook his head slightly before focusing on the screen of his phone and reading out loud.

“ _Louis Tomlinson sure does have a love for frozen yogurt. The Doncaster-born actor must not have the dessert back in jolly old England, as he’s been spotted at the same Pinkberry for the third time in the past week-and-a-half. He clearly isn’t lactose intolerant! Wonder what his favorite flavor is? Our bet is on the English toffee, ourselves._ ”

Louis shook his head. “That was lame.” 

“Well, that was from a gossip blogger. They’re not really all that great with the cleverness.”

“Clearly.”

“So where did you have to go today?”

“I was in Calabasas today. Went shopping for furniture that I don’t need and didn’t buy.”

“And you came all the way back here? For some overpriced frozen yogurt and crazy toppings?”

“What can I say?” Louis smiled. “It’s like tradition at this point: go on a pap walk, deal with asshole photographers, come here and eat some froyo with you.”

“It’s not a bad tradition.”

“Nah; I quite like it.”

Harry grinned. “So guess what?”

“What?”

“That’s not guessing.”

Louis just shrugged.

“Anyway,” Harry rolled his eyes, “Pinkberry is having a national contest this year. And I think you’ll find it interesting.”

“I will?”

“Yes. It’s the first annual Pinkberry Halloween Costume Contest.”

“I’m intrigued. Go on.”

“Basically, it’s where people can come up with Pinkberry froyo combinations that will sort of resemble popular Halloween costumes.”

“You’re right; I do like it. What are the rules?”

“Well, starting on Monday, people have four weeks to submit their ideas and recipes. So, it has to be in by October 10. And then, the next week is for voting, and the recipes will be narrowed down to a Top Ten. So, on October 18, the finalists will be announced, and then there will be a judging panel to decide the winner on October 21. The winner gets free Pinkberry once a week for a year, and the winning combination will be available at a limited edition special price for the rest of October and all of November.”

“Are you gonna be a judge?” Louis wondered. “I feel like you’d be pretty good at picking strange, creative combinations. I mean, you taught me.”

“I wish. No, it's going to be some celebrity person. Maybe a few of them.”

“Hey, let your boss know I’ll judge. I am technically a celebrity. It might be good publicity for me. And the store, of course.”

“He might like that.”

“I would like that, too. Free samples for a day? I like it.”

Harry giggled. “You act like I make you pay full price when you come here, anyway.”

“You don’t get in trouble for that, right?” Louis worried. “I can pay the full price, you know. I’m not strapped for the six dollars to pay.”

“No, it’s fine. I use my Friends and Family discount for you.”

“You’re the best, you know that?”

“Of course I know that. You tell me all the time.”

Louis winked before he finished his froyo.

\---

Two weeks later, Harry was working late at the shop.

He was set to close in ten minutes when he heard the front door open.

“There you are,” he said as Louis walked in. “I was starting to think you’d forgotten about me.”

“Never! Sorry; just busy.”

“It’s OK. What were you up to? Fancy actor stuff?”

“Sort of. I guess.”

He sighed and looked at the frozen yogurts.

“What’s wrong?” Harry asked.

Louis shook his head slightly, so Harry took that as a sign that Louis didn’t want to talk about it.

“Can I get a large apple caramel frozen yogurt?”

Harry raised an eyebrow, but stayed silent.

“Any toppings?” he asked once he had the yogurt in a cup, even though he already knew the answer to that.

“Yeah, um, what’s a popping boba?”

“Well, it’s-“

“You know what? I don’t even care. Throw some on there.”

“OK. What else?”

“Um… Dark chocolate crisps. And kiwi.”

“You do make some crazy shit; you know that, right?” Harry joked.

“Yeah, well I learned from the best.”

Harry shrugged a shoulder. “Anything else?”

“Nah, I think that’s good. How much?”

Harry opened his mouth to say something, but instead, what came out was, “It’s on the house.”

“What?”

“It’s free if you tell me what’s wrong.”

Louis stared at the cup that Harry was holding out to him.

“OK.”

He took it in his hand and grabbed a spoon.

“Go to the back; I’ll put the ‘Closed’ sign on the door.”

Louis nodded and walked behind the counter and into the ‘Employees Only’ part of the store.

He sat down at a table that was likely where Harry and his coworkers sat for their breaks before spooning some of his concoction into his mouth.

“Spill,” Harry commanded when he walked back a few minutes later.

“I had an audition,” Louis mumbled.

“An audition? That’s great!”

“Not really.”

“Why?”

Harry pulled another chair over to the table.

“I tanked it; that’s why.”

“I’m sure you didn’t,” Harry shook his head.

“I did.”

“How do you know?”

“I just do… I- I don’t even want this anymore.”

Louis put his spoon in his less than half-eaten cup and pushed it away from him.

“Do you want some tea instead?”

“You won’t make it right.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re American. You won’t make it right. You’ll contaminate it with sugar and other nonsense.”

“I offer to make you tea because you’re feeling sad, and instead of just accepting, you insult my tea-making abilities  _and_  my nationality?”

“It’s not your fault you were born in the wrong country.”

Harry scoffed. “Challenge accepted. How do you take it?”

“Up the ass, usually.”

“Hi!” Harry exclaimed. “Over sharing.”

“Oh, you meant the tea?”

“Of course I meant the tea!”

“Oh, sorry. No sugar and a little bit of milk.”

“Guess you’re feeling better. And ew, that sounds nasty.”

Louis stared. “What? My bedroom preferences?”

“No, the tea with no sugar.”

“Hey, you asked. Just make it, Styles.”

“On it.”

Louis waited as Harry disappeared into the kitchen.

A few minutes later, he emerged clutching a mug in his hand.

“Try it. I’ll be right back; I’m gonna check on the front.”

Harry went back to the main floor.

Once, Louis heard him shuffling chairs around, he blew on his tea and took a sip.

It was good.

“How the fuck?” Louis wondered to himself.

He hadn’t met anybody in the states who made tea as good or better than himself or his own mother.

And Harry went and made it right on the first try.

“He needs to be stopped,” Louis shook his head, taking another sip.

“So how is it?” Harry peeked his head back into the room.

“It’s tolerable.”

“So it’s good.”

“I can live with it,” Louis shot back.

“You’re welcome.”

Harry came all the way into the room and sat down.

“Look, Louis, you’re the best actor I know…”

“I’m the  _only_ actor you know.”

“I know. Isn’t that weird, since I live in L.A.? Well, anyway, you’re  _the best_ actor I know. And if that director doesn’t want you for their project, then it’s their loss, and it’s probably going to flop, anyway.”

“It’s not going to flop. It was for Martin Scorsese’s latest project.”

“You auditioned for Scorsese’s new project? That’s huge!”

“Really not helping here, Harry.”

“Sorry,” Harry blushed. “What I meant was… He wouldn’t have called you in if he didn’t think you could do the job. I mean, it’s Martin Scorsese we’re talking about.”

“I know.”

Louis drank a little more from his cup. “We’ll just have to wait and see, I guess.”

“You won’t be waiting long; I know it.”

Louis smiled. At least one of them had confidence in Louis’ abilities.

\---

The next night, Liam took Louis out for drinks, which, despite Louis’ insistence,  _was_   _not_  a pity move to help Louis feel better after his audition.

“So how’ve you been?” Liam asked. “I haven’t had the chance to  _really_ talk to you in a while.”

“Fine. If you wanted to know that, you could just check out the latest issue of  _Us Weekly._ I’m sure there’s a spread in there about me going grocery shopping or something.”

“Or going to Pinkberry.”

“That, too,” Louis agreed.

“Hey, speaking of Pinkberry…”

Louis’ eyes shot up from his beer. “You were just waiting for that segue, weren’t you?”

“Maybe. Anyway, apparently, you’ve been getting a lot of press for them lately, both sanctioned and non-sanctioned.”

“I guess?”

“Well, the company is hosting some new contest. Halloween recipes or something like that.”

“The Halloween Costume Contest. Yeah, I know about that,” Louis said.

“Oh. Well, that makes this easier. They want you to be a celebrity judge for it.”

“Really?” Louis smiled.

“Yeah. I said I would talk to you first, but I think Irv really wants this to happen.”

“I’m on board with it.”

“You are?” Liam gaped. “I don’t have to fight you on this?”

“You don’t have to fight me at all. I mean, I guess it’s working. I saw an article the other day asking why I haven’t been seen with any women since Eleanor and I ‘broke up.’ So, I guess that ‘seeding’ thing is working.”

“I know it’s frustrating-”

“It’s bullshit.”

“I know it’s  _frustrating,_ ” Liam repeated, “but sadly, it works. You’ll be out in no time, I promise.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“So I can call in the morning and confirm your appearance?”

“Go ahead. I can’t wait for some free food.”

“That’s all you care about?”

“Sort of, yeah.”

Liam started laughing, but it was cut short when the two of them heard the song over the speakers.

It was one of Zayn’s old songs, one of the original ones from his first album that put him on the map in Hollywood.

Louis coughed into his hand. “I’m gonna get another one,” he said, tipping his halfway empty beer.

“Louis…”

“I’m fine,” he insisted. “Really.”

He got up and went to the bar, trying to tune the rhythm of the song out of his head.

\---

Louis didn’t tell Harry right away that he would be the celebrity judge.

He actually visited Harry at the store a few days after talking to Liam and didn’t say a word.

“Louis, do you have any projects coming up?”

He ignored the paparazzi currently flashing their cameras in his face.

“Louis, can you give us a smile? How about a smirk?” the other pap asked.

Louis glanced up and stared directly into the camera, hoping his distaste for their presence was clear.

He pushed past them and walked into Pinkberry, heading straight up to the counter.

Harry was behind it, helping a customer.

He finished piling strawberries and M&M’s onto the girl’s vanilla yogurt and asked if she wanted anything else.

When he looked up, he saw Louis standing there and shot him a big smile.

Louis winked at him before turning his attention back to the menu, as if he didn’t already have it memorized.

“Welcome to Pinkberry, sir; how may I help you?” Harry asked jokingly once he was done with the other customer.

“Yes, I was just wondering when your break was?”

“My break? You’re not coming in for crazy froyo bonding?”

“Nah, not this time. I was actually in the mood for pizza. I’ve been with my friends the paparazzi all day, and I’m starving.”

“Poor baby,” Harry shook his head.

“I know. Pity me, Harry.”

“I do, if it makes you feel better. It must be so hard walking around and having people take your picture.”

Louis made a grumpy face and attempted to snap at Harry, but was rudely interrupted.

“Relax! I’m kidding. I know how much that all sucks. You tell me all about it, remember?”

“I remember. But seriously, when’s your break?”

“In twenty minutes,” Harry answered, looking at the clock on the register. “When Perrie clocks in, I can go. And you’re in luck: there’s a pizza place around the corner I sometimes go to. They have the best toppings ever.”

“The best ever, you say? Well sign me up.”

“Do you want something while you wait? Last time you were here, you said you wanted to try the Hot Chocolate yogurt.”

“Maybe after pizza, we can come back and I’ll get it? I don’t want to ruin my appetite.”

“Like that would happen,” Harry laughed.

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing; I swear.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re lucky I like you, Curly.”

“Yes, I’m very lucky. And I know it. I consider it the highest honor known to man.”

“And don’t you forget it,” Louis replied, pointing a finger in Harry’s face.

Harry chuckled at Louis’ ‘serious face.’

“All right, I’ll wait over here. We’re going as soon as Perrie gets here.”

“No problem,” Harry agreed.

Louis sat at a table next to the wall and pulled out his phone.

He scrolled through his Twitter feed, replying to a few fans and messaging a ‘Thank You’ note to someone who sent him a drawing of himself.

While he was thinking of what to say to a fan who asked him a random ‘Would You Rather?’ question, he saw someone come up to his table out of the corner of his eye.

“Hi, Louis,” the girl gushed. He thought she couldn’t be more than eighteen or so.

“Hi, love. How are ya?”

“I’m good. Great, actually. Just, I’m a huge fan;  _One Without the Other_ is one of my favorite movies.”

Louis nodded at her reference to one of his earlier movies, a romantic comedy where he played the best friend of the main actor who was trying to find his soul mate.

“Anyway, I was wondering if I could get a picture with you?”

“Of course,” Louis smiled.

He got up and stood next to her.

She held the camera out at arm’s length and the two of them posed for a quick selfie.

“Thank you so much,” she said after the picture was taken.

“Any time.”

She went back to the table where her parents were sitting and excitedly showed them the picture.

“Happy fan?” Harry asked, walking up behind him.

“I guess so.”

“Looks like you’re more popular than you think.”

“Yeah. Who knew?”

Harry grinned. “Come on, superstar. We’ll cut through the back. It’s quicker.”

“I feel so exclusive,” Louis joked as they walked through the kitchen and out the back door.

“Yeah, you can consider this the VIP entrance.”

The two of them entered the alley behind the store and walked away from the building. 

“So where did you go today?” Harry asked while they walked.

“I was apartment hunting, actually.”

“You’re looking for a new apartment?”

“No. Apparently, it’s so I can appear more lucrative or some shit. Like, I can afford a bigger place, so I must have enough money, which means that I’m in demand for other acting jobs or something like that, which might lead to other offers for jobs since I’m so popular.”

“That sounds complicated.”

“It’s annoying, is what it is.”

“Yeah, that, too.”

They got to the pizza place that Harry was talking about.

Louis opened the door for Harry.

“What a gentleman,” Harry smiled.

“I try, babe. Now, what’s good here?”

“Everything, really.”

The two of them got in line behind a married couple who were trying to decide what toppings to get.

“Ooh, cheesesteak pizza,” Louis noticed.

“That’s really good. I got that every day for a week a few months back.”

“I might get that, then.”

“I’m looking at the Veggie Supreme one for myself.”

“Vegetables on pizza,” Louis shook his head. “That’s gross.”

“I’ve seen you eat pistachio yogurt, strawberries and cookie dough all in one bite before.”

“And it was good, too. And you seem to be forgetting who taught me all about that.”

“Yes, but the student has become the master,” Harry said. “You’ve out-stranged any strange combination I ever created.”

“I should get a medal for that, shouldn’t I? Like, an award or something?”

“You can.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you just have to make it yourself.”

“Rude.”

Harry laughed quietly to himself.

The cashier called them up next, and they placed their separate orders.

When they sat down at their table to start eating, Louis heard a familiar song over the speakers.

“Oh, I love this song,” Harry said.

“This one?”

Louis knew the song well. It was something Zayn had been working on for a while, set to be his newest single.

Guess it had been released.

“Yeah, this one,” Harry confirmed. “I hear it on the radio every day at work, but I still don’t know who sings it.”

“Zayn.”

“Who?”

“Zayn. This is, uh, Zayn’s song.”

“Zayn Malik?”

“Yeah,” Louis cleared his throat. “Yeah, him.”

“Do you know him?”

Louis nodded.

“Oh, I didn’t know you knew him.”

“Yeah. I sort of, um, dated him, too.”

“Oh.”

Louis looked up to see Harry watching him, his pizza halfway to his lips with an awed expression on his face.

“Yeah,” Louis nodded.

“I didn’t, um… I didn’t realize you two were together.”

“No one did, really. It was sort of a secret.”

“Why?”

Harry dropped his pizza then.

“I didn’t mean to actually ask that,” he rushed out. “You don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to. That was probably insensitive or inconsiderate of me to ask.”

“Harry, relax. It’s OK. As long as you don’t go to the tabloids and tell them my story, I think we’ll be all right.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t- You know that I wouldn’t, Louis. Right? You know I wouldn’t go to the press about you.”

“I know,” Louis nodded. “I never doubted you, especially since you looked like you were going to crap your pants in fear the first time I walked into Pinkberry.”

“I wasn’t going to crap my pants.”

“Sure you weren’t, love.”

Harry blushed slightly.

“Anyway, to answer your question: In case you hadn’t picked up on it yet, I’m gay. But I’m sort of, not actually out yet. To the public. All of my friends and family know, but the fans and the general population don’t have any idea. So, secret relationship.”

“That must have been hard.”

“It was; for both of us. It was just harder for him because Zayn is out. You see, I'm used to it: the hiding and keeping secrets and avoiding eye contact in front of others. But for him to pretend to be single and not acknowledge me in public as anything other than a former costar was difficult for him to handle.”

“But you’re the one who’s still closeted,” Harry reasoned.

Louis sighed. “Yeah. But, there’s currently a plan in place to have me come out to the public. Hence, the pap walks. I listen to my management, and I get to come out next year. But Zayn couldn’t wait.”

“That’s horrible.”

“Yeah… The funny part is that, before I started dating Zayn, I started thinking about moving. I thought that maybe a change of scenery might do me good, you know?”

“Where would you have gone?”

“I don’t know. I thought about New York, of course; I wondered what it would be like to move to London. I’d be a hell of a lot closer to my family; that’s for sure. But then Zayn came into the picture, and I didn’t want to leave anymore.”

“So you stayed for him?”

“Yeah, because, before him, it was getting to the point where there wasn’t a whole lot for me to stick around for. While I was with him, I at least had my relationship to focus on, and he was encouraging me to keep searching for work and going on auditions. And now, without him, I’m sort of back to my original plan. There’s nothing that I  _have_ to stick around for.”

“So you could just up and leave at any time?” Harry asked.

“Yeah, I guess. I’d have to look into my contract to see what that would entail, but I probably could.”

“Well, just know that I would miss you if you ever moved,” Harry spoke softly.

“Aww, I’d miss you, too, Curly. You and your half-price froyo.”

“Gee, thanks. Is that all I’m good for?”

“Nah. You’re my favorite person to vent to and create crazy yogurt combinations with. I’d definitely miss you if I moved.”

“You don’t have to move, you know.”

“I know. That’s why it’s just a possibility. We’ll see where life takes me.”

It wasn’t a definite answer one way or the other.

Harry didn’t seem too thrilled at that.

\---

It was on a day in early October that Harry texted him a picture of the new round of promo posters for the contest with Louis’ name on it and a comment that just said:  ** _Explain???_**

**_Louis: =)_ **

**_Louis: Yeah, I’m judging the contest._ **

**_Harry: Were you gonna tell me? Or were you just gonna show up?_ **

**_Louis: Nah, I would’ve told you eventually. Just wanted to see how long it would take you to realize it._ **

**_Harry: How nice of you._ **

**_Louis: I thought so._ **

**_Harry: Well this is exciting! More promo for you and everything. Maybe you can get a new job out of it! Who else is on the panel?_ **

**_Louis: Don’t know yet. Thought you might._ **

**_Harry: No idea. Boss hasn’t told me. I figure there will be two others, though._ **

**_Louis: Three’s a good number to have._ **

**_Harry: Agreed. Oh, hey, is there any chance you’re coming by the store tomorrow?_ **

**_Louis: I was planning on it, yeah. You’re working, aren’t you? It’s Friday._ **

**_Harry: Yeah, I’ll be there all day. My lunch break should be around 2:30, if you can come then._ **

**_Louis: Sounds good._ **

**_Harry: OK. Bring your appetite. =)_ **

**_Louis: Why? You buying lunch?_ **

**_Harry: Something like that. You’ll see when you get here._ **

**_Louis: Can’t wait. I love surprises._ **

\---

Louis got out of an early meeting with Liam the next morning.

They’d spent the last few hours discussing potential jobs in London, at least for now.

After talking about it with Harry at the pizza place, the idea of relocating had been replanted in Louis’ head; and now that Louis had really thought about it, he wanted to go home for a while: see his family, try his hand in theatre again and possibly come back refreshed, with more experience under his belt and a renewed interest in acting.

They would have to talk to management soon, and hopefully they would get an approval from them. Until then, he and Liam wanted to go over what to tell them.

He pulled up at Pinkberry just after 2:30, as promised to Harry, and parked in the usual lot.

Louis got out of the car and made the short walk to the store.

When he walked in, he saw Harry sitting at a table against the wall, looking down at his hands where they rested on the table.

The fingers of one hand were tapping on the hard surface, and under it, his right leg was bobbing up and down.

He checked the time on his phone and sighed when he saw it.

Louis walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

Harry jumped about a foot in the air, but visibly relaxed when he saw that it was Louis.

“Are you all right?” Louis asked.

“Fine. Yeah.”

“Are you sure? You’re all fidgety. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Harry promised. “Really. Just, um, just waiting.”

“OK…”

“Um, so- You can totally say no if you want or if it’s really dumb or whatever, but um…”

He stood up and grabbed a picnic basket that Louis hadn’t noticed at the table next to his.

“I was thinking that since it’s so nice out, we could go to the park around the corner and have lunch there?”

Harry bit his lower lip, the uncertainty of his suggestion clear as day.

“You must be a mind reader,” Louis replied. “I had  _such_  a draining day. This sounds amazing.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, of course. Like I would ever tell you that something you thought up was dumb. Come on, let’s go. I’ll take this.”

He grabbed the blanket that had been folded up underneath the basket.

Harry beamed as they walked out of the store.

“Good luck, Harry!” Perrie yelled after them.

“Why did she say ‘good luck’?” Louis wondered while they walked.

“Oh, um, she meant because I cooked lunch, instead of buying it. And I told her that I wasn’t sure if it was good or not.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine. Besides, you don’t have to impress me. I’d be happy with a peanut butter and jam sandwich.”

Harry laughed. “Well I put in more work than that.”

“Only because you’re a saint.”

They arrived to the park a few minutes later.

Louis set down the blanket in a mostly empty spot and they got comfortable.

“So I wasn’t a hundred percent sure what you would like, so I hope everything’s OK. We have sweet and spicy chicken wraps: chicken, spinach, honey, cucumbers and salsa. And a little bit of mayo.”

“Sounds good.”

“There’s potato salad, which is pretty simple. I made fruit salad, just in case you wanted to attempt to be healthy.”

“Maybe.”

“Maybe,” Harry laughed. “Um, and there’s water and Coke in there, too.”

“Harry, this is… incredible,” Louis complimented. “You didn’t have to do this, really.”

“I know,” Harry shrugged. “But I wanted to.”

“Well let’s dig in, then. Shall we?”

Harry agreed, pleased that his plan had been a success.

He pulled plates out from the bottom of the basket and loaded them up with food for the both of them.

“You didn’t need to worry about the food,” Louis said after chewing up his bite of the chicken wrap. “It’s amazing.”

“You’re just saying that.”

“No, really. It’s so good. I mean, to be fair though, I can’t cook for shit, so anything you make will be like a five-star meal to me.”

“Surely you can cook something?”

“Nah. I mostly survive on cereal and Easy Mac and lunchmeat sandwiches. It’s pretty pathetic.”

“It actually kind of is.”

Louis shrugged. “My mom tried to teach me to cook before I left home, but it just wasn’t working. Oh, well. It is what it is.”

“Well maybe I’ll give you a cooking lesson or something,” Harry suggested.

“Maybe. It’ll have to be soon, though.”

“Why’s that?”

“Might be leaving.”

“What?”

Harry glanced up from his food to look at Louis.

“Yeah. Remember I told you before that I was thinking about going home for a while?”

“You were serious about that?”

Louis nodded. “I was. Or, am. I talked to Liam this morning, and we’re coming up with a game plan to talk to management about everything.”

He took another bite of his food while Harry remained silent.

“Oh.”

“Well don’t be sad,” Louis said, taking in Harry’s less-than-cheery expression. “Even if they say ‘yes,’ it won’t be for a while. I mean, I’ll still have to do whatever boring or repetitive tasks they want me to do.”

“Oh. OK.”

“Yeah.”

“Hey, um, can I talk to you about something?”

“Is it about why you’re so nervous today?”

“Is it really that obvious?”

“A little,” Louis smiled. “Come on, tell me what’s up.”

“OK. Um…”

He took a deep breath.

“Louis, I li-”

He never got to finish his sentence.

Louis’ cell went off, drawing his attention away from Harry and down to his phone.

“Shit, it’s Liam,” Louis muttered. “I’m so sorry, do you mind if I…?”

“No, go ahead.”

Louis thanked Harry before answering the call.

“Hey, Li.”

“Louis, it’s basically a done deal getting you to London.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just got off the phone with the London office. One of the reps there thinks it’ll be easy to get you some auditions for the West End.”

“The West End?” Louis gasped. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah, actually. Look, we have a 9 a.m. meeting with the higher-ups on Tuesday. So, with this, I think you being able to relocate, temporarily or permanently, is a sure thing.”

“Liam, you’re the best ever. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Probably would’ve gone home a long time ago, is my guess.”

“I feel like that wasn’t a compliment.”

“Meh. Take it as you want it. Anyway, I’ll let you go. I’ll see you on Tuesday.”

“See you Tuesday.”

He hung up the phone and returned his gaze to Harry, who was picking at the food he had on his plate.

“I’m so sorry about that.”

“It’s OK,” Harry responded quietly. “So, the West End, huh?”

“Yeah. I didn’t think it would happen that quickly.”

“So I guess London is a little less of a possibility and more of a reality, then?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. I mean, the guys in charge might not let me go right away. We have to negotiate the contracts and everything.”

“Well, wherever you end up, I know you’ll be great.”

“Thanks, Harry,” Louis replied kindly. “I really appreciate that.”

Harry just nodded silently.

“Oh, hey. What were you saying before?”

“Oh, um…” Harry blushed. “It was nothing important. Just, I’m glad you liked the food. And the idea. I know it’s super cheesy.”

“What did I tell you before? None of your ideas are cheesy. Or lame.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

The two of them finished their food, but Louis couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was still bothering Harry.

\---

On Tuesday, Louis got back to his apartment well past seven. He’d been with his management and lawyers all day, looking into any necessary changes he would have to make with his contract to get him out to London.

It had been draining, but, like Liam said, because of the interest that West End directors already had in him, it looked like he would be able to move sooner rather than later.

He turned on the television, where an entertainment news channel was in the middle of its nightly broadcast.

Louis went to his room and put on a T-shirt and pair of sweatpants, looking forward to relaxing for the rest of the night.

He brought his computer out with him and rested it on the coffee table, planning on checking his Twitter.

_“And in other news, it looks like Zayn Malik may have a new relationship.”_

That definitely caught Louis’ attention. He looked up from his computer and raised the volume on the television.

_“The R &B singer stepped out Monday evening with singer Ray Davidson. The two of them were spotted at Los Angeles nightclub, 1 Oak. This is the third night the two have spent together in less than a week, with an outing at Henry’s on Sunday night, as well as a trip to Bootsy Bellows on Saturday. Is this a blooming new romance between the two singers? It appears so, if these pictures have anything to tell.”_

Pictures of Zayn and Ray flashed across the screen, and showed the two of them standing rather closely together outside of the club, waiting for their car. There were also pictures of them from other nights, holding hands.

_“Their reps have declined to comment, so for the moment, we’ll chalk this up as the beginning to a beautiful new relationship.”_

Louis turned the television off then.

He took a deep breath, trying to remain calm and reasonable.

He’d been working in the entertainment industry a long time, so he knew all about these things.

He knew that Ray was an up and coming singer on the same label as Zayn. So, it was possible that this was a stunt set up for mutual promo for the singers as well as for RCA.

Maybe Zayn was just trying to help Ray out and get his name out there, because Zayn had worked his way from the ground up before, and knew how much work it took to establish a name in Hollywood.

Or, maybe Zayn was dating him.

Louis was pissed.

They’d been broken up for two months.

Obviously, he didn’t think that Zayn would mourn over their fallen relationship forever, but how dare he – very publicly – start dating someone else already?

Who did he think he was?

He walked into the kitchen and pulled his bottle of Grey Goose from the freezer.

He opened the cabinet next to the fridge and pulled out one of his shot glasses.

He filled it to the brim with the clear liquid and downed it.

Louis shuddered as the vodka went down his throat and into his stomach.

Without giving himself a second to recover, he poured another shot and tipped his head back.

“I hate vodka,” he grumbled as he replaced the bottle.

He opened the fridge and took a beer out. He grabbed his bottle opener from the silverware drawer and popped the cap off the top.

Louis took a long drink from the bottle as he returned to his seat in the living room.

He stewed in silence for a few minutes.

He finished the bottle quickly, and loudly dropped it down on his coffee table.

He didn’t know what to do with himself.

He was just so mad.

And frustrated.

Louis didn’t think he was a bad person; he didn’t think he deserved to be closeted.

Zayn could go out with or date or fuck whomever he wanted, and it was OK. Why couldn’t he?

He kicked his foot up onto the coffee table, knocking his beer bottle over.

“Shit.”

He quickly picked it up, seeing a few drops fallen on top of the promo poster that Harry gave him the last time he was in the store.

Harry. 

Somewhere in his mind, Louis knew it was a bad idea to pick up his cell phone.

He knew it was an even worse idea to pull up Harry’s name and hit the ‘Call’ button.

It rang exactly three times before Harry answered.

“Hello?”

"Hey," Louis said into the phone.

"Hey," Harry replied. "You all right?"

"I'm good, yeah. Um, just wondering what you were doing tonight?"

"Well, you caught me at a great time. I'm actually about to start a raging marathon of Top Chef that I've had on DVR for about a month."

"Come over," Louis told him before he could think it through.

"What?"

"Yeah, I was just wondering if you wanted to come over. We can hang out here for once instead of down at the shop."

"Wow, you have a house?" Harry joked. "I didn't realize. I thought you were renting space down at Pinkberry."

"It sure seemed like it, didn't it? But I mean, if you're too busy with Top Chef, I understand. It's just, I have a fridge full of beer and a pizza on the way. So, I thought you might like to join."

"OK," Harry spoke softly. "I mean..."

He cleared his throat and spoke in a firmer tone. "OK. I'll get changed and head over. Text me the address?"

"Sounds perfect. I'll see you soon."

"OK. See you."

Louis hung up the phone and raised a fist in the air. 

Then he texted Harry his address and ordered a pizza. He hoped Harry was good with pepperoni. 

\---

Harry arrived a half-hour later with a pizza in hand.

“I assumed this was ours, so I got it from the delivery guy on the way up,” he said.

“Oh, thanks. Did you tip him? I already paid for the pizza with my card, but I didn’t add tip to it.”

“I tipped him; don’t worry.”

“Thanks. I like that place. I don’t want them to stop coming here because they think I don’t tip.”

Harry followed Louis into the kitchen and set the box down on the stove.

Louis finished the beer he held in his hand and dropped it in the recycling bin.

He couldn’t remember if it was his second or third since he called Harry. Maybe it was his fourth.

“So, I think I should show you around the place, since you’ve never been here before,” Louis suggested.

“That sounds like a great plan,” Harry agreed.

“OK, so this is the kitchen.”

“I had no idea.”

“I know. The fridge and microwave and unused oven weren’t easy enough clues to decipher.”

The two left the room and walked out into the main room.

“This is the combination living room and dining room. It’s where I usually live and dine.”

“I can see you both living and dining here,” Harry nodded. “I like it.”

“Thank you. My mom actually decorated the whole thing, but luckily, she knows what I like.”

Louis led Harry down the hallway.

“This is the guest bedroom,” he said, opening a door. “I don’t get much use out of it, but it’s there, just in case my friend Niall needs a place to crash.”

“Pretty convenient.”

“He seems to think so, even though he hasn’t used it in a while. It’s almost like he’s getting mature enough to get himself home after a night of drinking.”

“Wow, good for him,” Harry praised.

“I thought so, too.”

Louis kept going down the hallway and into his own room.

“So, this is where the magic sometimes happens.”

“Sometimes?”

“Yeah, sometimes. I do have some modesty, Harry.”

“Never said you didn’t.”

“I have a bathroom through there,” Louis pointed toward the slightly opened door at the other side of the room. And you passed the other bathroom near the front door.”

“I did, indeed.”

“And that’s basically the flat.”

“I like it. It’s very you. It’s very… lived-in.”

“You can say ‘messy.’”

“It’s not messy; it’s just obvious that there’s a person who lives here.”

“Shut up,” Louis laughed. “I don’t like to clean. Sorry.”

They walked out of the bedroom and back into the kitchen.

“I guess it’s OK if you don’t like to clean,” Harry reasoned. “As long as you can find everything and you don’t get like, cockroaches and shit.”

“Never saw a cockroach here.”

Louis immediately realized what he said and stepped over to the doorframe of the room. He knocked on it three times and crossed his fingers.

“Don’t want to jinx myself,” he explained.

Harry nodded. “Fair point.”

Louis got two plates out of the cabinet and handed one to Harry.

They each took two slices of pizza. Louis grabbed some napkins and opened two beers before they went into the living room.

Louis placed everything on the coffee table and turned the tv back on.

“OK, so I don’t have any Top Chef on the DVR, but let’s see if we can find something else.”

“Whatever you can find is good,” Harry replied. “I’m not picky.”

“Cool.”

“So are you ready for your judging duties next Wednesday?” Harry asked before taking a bite of his pizza.

“I guess. I mean, I just have to pick the most creative recipe, right?”

“ _And_ the one that looks most like what it’s supposed to.”

“Piece of cake. How about this?”

Louis had put on an old episode of  _Friends._

“Always a good choice,” Harry said.

The two of them ate silently, watching as Ross tried to get all of his friends ready to attend a dinner at his museum.

“I wish this show never got cancelled.”

“And what? Just have  _Friends_ going forever and ever?” Harry smiled.

“Sure. Why not? There are way too many shows that come back every year and shouldn’t.  _Friends_ could go on for the rest of time and I would still watch.”

Harry shrugged and finished off his pizza.

“I mean, think about it,” Louis continued. “Ben could grow up and start high school and college. The triplets could get older and move to town and be around all the time. Maybe they’d be like the ones in  _Brave,_ always causing trouble. And Emma and Monica and Chandler’s twins would all go through school together. Ben would look out for all of them and teach them life lessons because their parents would all be out at Central Perk and avoiding going to work before they eventually retire.”

“You’ve thought about this, huh?”

“A little. I would love to see that happen.”

“I don’t know,” Harry said. “I mean, it would be weird because Ben would be like, seven years older than his sister and nine years older than the twins. I guess like, four years older than the triplets. He would be more like one of those weird super seniors who hangs around the high school and never grows up.”

“No, but he would be growing up and looking out for his sister and cousins and friends. Like, the kids all grow up together and become friends just like the original cast. Only, there would be seven of them instead of six.”

“I could see that premiere episode now,” Harry imagined. “Frank Jr. Jr. comes running into Central Park and tells Ben that he just blew up the science lab at his high school.”

“And Ben is like, ‘I had that teacher. Let’s go talk to him.’”

“So they go and run into Emma, who’s complaining about how the school got evacuated because of what happened to the lab, and she left her sunglasses in her locker, so she can’t see well. Ben tells her to get over it, but Emma is like, ‘I’m gonna tell Dad you’re here cleaning up Frank Jr. Jr.’s messes again,’ and then he shuts up.”

“Meanwhile, Jack and Erica are trying to hide something from Monica that they messed up.”

“What did they mess up?” Harry asked.

“Um… They spilled ice cream all over the couch cushions and can’t get it off.”

“Monica’s gonna flip.”

“Of course she will,” Louis agreed. “So they call Leslie, who inherited her mom’s home ec skills, and she and her sister Chandler come over to help clean it up.”

“But! They get caught because Monica and Phoebe walk in the door then and want to know what’s going on.”

“And at the school, Ross has already been called, so he shows up just as Ben, Emma and Frank are leaving the school after cleaning up everything and wants to know what’s going on.”

“And the episode ends in Joey’s penthouse apartment, because he made it big in L.A., and can afford a penthouse now.“

“Of course he did,” Louis nodded.

“And it’s all of the original friends and all of the kids sitting around having dinner, talking about how crazy it is to live in New York.”

“And it ends with the adults telling the kids that nothing else matters as long as they have their friends by their side,” Louis concluded. “Cheesy, but effective.”

“I would totally watch that show.”

“See? That’s what I’m saying.”

“I guess you’re right,” Harry said.

Louis tipped his head back and finished off his drink. “Do you want another one?”

“No, I’m good.”

Louis put his plate on the coffee table and stood up.

As he rose to his feet, he felt lightheaded and slowly dropped back to the couch.

“Are you OK?” Harry asked worriedly.

“I’m fine. Just got up too fast.”

“How many have you had?”

“A couple.”

“I’m getting you water.”

“You don’t have to,” Louis told Harry as he got up.

“I’m still getting it.”

Harry walked into the kitchen and returned a moment later with a bottle of water in his hand.

“Drink,” he commanded.

He handed the bottle off to Louis and sat down next to him.

Louis twisted the cap off and chugged down half of it.

He let out a loud burp.

“Why do I like you?” Harry asked, wrinkling his nose.

“Because I’m funny. And I’m charming. And I have a cool accent.”

“Well, you’re not wrong about the accent.”

“Hey!” Louis nudged Harry in the side with his elbow.

“I guess you’re sort of funny, too,” Harry laughed. “Maybe charming.”

“Thank you.”

Louis took another drink from his water bottle and put it back down on the table.

He sat back and rested his head against Harry’s shoulder.

Harry leaned his head on top of Louis’ and wrapped his arm around his shoulders.

The two of them sat quietly together, letting the television provide background noise.

“I’m moving to London,” Louis whispered.

Harry stiffened. “What?”

“Yeah. In a few months, it looks like.”

“Are you serious?” Harry asked. He pulled back to look at Louis, his eyes wide as he processed the information.

“Well, yeah… I mean, I want to go back. I talked to my management and they gave me the green light to move as long as the interest in me still stands.”

“And you would go? Just like that?”

“Yeah, Harry. I don’t have a job here right now, and my family is over there. My lease will be up by the time I leave. And my friends would understand. You would understand, wouldn’t you?”

“Of course I would understand! I just didn’t think it would happen so soon. I- What about-?”

Louis waited for Harry to finish his question, but he never did.

Harry looked down at his fingers, which were twisting together in his lap.

“Harry?”

He grabbed one of Harry’s hands in his own, willing him to look up.

Harry took a deep breath before making eye contact with Louis.

He searched Harry’s eyes for an answer, but he was so confused. He didn’t know what had Harry so much more upset than Liam.

Even Niall was supportive in their conversation earlier today after he left Liam’s office.

Harry had his eyes focused on Louis’ face, examining it for  _something._

And then he lurched forward, cupping Louis’ cheek with his free hand and joining their lips together.

Louis was surprised, but easily returned the kiss.

He put his free hand on Harry’s thigh and gave it a squeeze as they kissed, the sounds of their lips smacking together the only one they heard now.

When they pulled apart, Harry was hesitant to say anything.

So Louis didn’t give him a chance to.

He crawled into Harry’s lap.

He took Harry’s face in between his hands and stared in his eyes for a moment.

“Is this OK?” he asked.

Harry nodded slowly. “Yeah, it’s good.”

Louis glanced down at Harry’s soft-looking, pink lips before he leaned in.

Their lips met after Harry tilted his head up.

Louis inhaled deeply. He had been caught off guard by how breathless the first kiss left him, so he was more prepared for this one.

He pressed his lips more firmly against Harry’s and wove his fingers into his long hair.

Harry moaned quietly and wrapped his arms tightly around Louis’ waist, bringing him closer.

Louis could feel his cock stiffening up as his clothed lower half was dragged across Harry’s.

He rolled his hips down just to see what Harry would do.

He was rewarded with another moan, and Harry tightening his grip on Louis.

Louis could feel Harry’s nails digging into his skin through his T-shirt.

He rolled his hips again a few more times, slowly driving Harry crazier with each move.

“Lou,” Harry whined as he pulled back.

He dove at Louis’ neck, attaching his lips to it and sucking hard on the skin that he pulled into his mouth.

Louis hissed as Harry started giving him a love bite, but his grip on Harry’s hair only got tighter.

Harry groaned loudly and flipped them so that Louis was on the couch and Harry was on top of him.

He reattached their lips, much to Louis’ relief.

Kissing Harry was amazing, because Harry kissed like he had so much love to give, and had just been waiting to let Louis have a taste of it.

Louis wrapped his legs around Harry’s waist, clinging to him as much as he could.

He didn’t know when, or if, this would end, but he knew he didn’t want it to be now.

“Harry,” Louis whispered when they finally separated.

Instead of responding, Harry took Louis’ hands in his own and laced their fingers together.

He then moved their joined hands down to the couch above Louis’ head.

“Harry, please.”

Harry hummed against Louis’ neck while he made more marks into it.

He then started rolling his hips, rubbing their clothed cocks together.

Louis shut his eyes, finally feeling some friction on his dick.

Harry started moving a little faster and Louis held on for the ride he was about to face.

He didn’t know if Harry would make him come in his pants, but he definitely hoped it didn’t end there.

“Bedroom?” Harry suggested, continuing his movements.

“Yes! God, please, yes.”

Harry slowed down and finished whatever mark he was making on Louis’ skin.

Then he moved back a little and wrapped his arms around Louis.

In one swift motion, he stood up and pulled Louis up with him.

Louis gasped and made sure his legs were as tight as possible so Harry wouldn’t drop him as they walked back to the bedroom.

Louis kissed up Harry’s neck as they walked, making sure to nibble at his pulse points.

When they got to the room, Harry gently placed Louis on the bed and pulled off his own shirt.

Louis followed suit before Harry was leaning over him again.

“Where’s your stuff?” Harry asked before kissing him.

They lay there for a few minutes, slowly kissing.

Louis could feel his head starting to spin, so he pulled back and breathlessly answered, “Under the bed.”

Harry pecked his lips again and knelt down on the floor to find a bottle of lube and a still-wrapped pack of condoms in a shopping bag from the store where Louis bought them.

“Been a while?” Harry asked.

“Maybe.”

Harry smirked as he opened both the lube and the box of condoms.

“Don’t be so smug,” Louis scolded.

“I’m not. Trust me; that’s a happy smirk.”

He kissed Louis again, and as he did, he tugged at the top of Louis’ sweatpants.

Louis tilted his hips up so that Harry could pull them down, along with his briefs.

Harry poured lube over his fingers and got on the bed between Louis’ legs.

He opened Louis up slowly, taking his time to let Louis fall apart little by little.

He started with just one finger, circling Louis’ rim before starting to push in.

Louis inhaled at the contact, trying to relax so Harry could prep him properly.

After a few minutes of pressing in and out of Louis’ hole, he gently squeezed in a second finger.

Louis sighed in pleasure and licked his lips.

He swiveled his hips around Harry’s fingers, feeling the stretch between his legs he’d been longing for.

Louis moaned when Harry finally found his prostate after curling his fingers a few different ways.

“Found it,” Harry said, that familiar smirk back on his face.

In annoyance, Louis reached a hand down between his legs and held Harry’s hand right where it was.

“You like that?” Harry asked. “You like using my fingers to get you off?”

Louis didn’t answer. He was too busy focusing on the new, firm pressure against his prostate.

He moved Harry’s fingers in and out, jabbing Harry’s hand directly at his spot.

He concentrated on not coming, on holding it in for the time being.

Louis inhaled deeply as he moved Harry’s fingers inside of him, and complained when Harry scissored his fingers out.

And then Harry was slipping a third finger in.

“Oh,” Louis cried out.

He let go of Harry’s hand and let the other man take over, sliding his fingers in and out of Louis’ hole, making sure he was plenty stretched out.

“I’m ready,” Louis insisted once he felt he couldn’t take it any more. “Lay down. I’m on top.”

Wordlessly, Harry pulled his fingers all the way out. He pulled off the rest of his clothes and tossed them to the floor.

Louis shakily got on his hands and knees on the bed and let Harry lay down.

He waited until Harry had his head resting on the pillow before getting any closer.

Louis moved so that he was in between Harry's legs, and then Louis ducked his head, sucking Harry’s hard cock into his mouth.

He made obscene slurping noises as he bobbed his head up and down with hollow cheeks.

“Fuck,” he heard Harry whisper. “Fuck, Lou.”

Louis pulled off with a loud popping noise.

“You better.”

Harry smiled, but it fell from his face when Louis got his lips back around Harry’s dick.

Louis wished he could see himself from another angle just then.

He probably looked like a proper porn star: his ass in the air, his hole stretched out and ready to take Harry’s cock, his hands gripping Harry’s thighs to keep himself from falling over, and his head sucking on Harry’s dick like it was his oxygen and only way to breathe.

“Shit,” Harry cried out. “Stop, Lou. I’m gonna come.”

Louis pulled off reluctantly.

He actually quite enjoyed how Harry tasted. 

He reached over and picked up the condom from where Harry had dropped it.

He ripped the package open and rolled it down Harry’s cock.

Louis poured some lube over it and knelt over Harry.

Just when Harry was reaching his hands up to grab onto Louis’ waist, the older man had an idea.

“No touching,” Louis teased.

“What?” Harry asked breathlessly.

“You heard me. No touching.”

Harry bit his lower lip, but with a single nod of his head, agreed.

Louis didn’t have a headboard for him to hold on to, so he stretched his arms out to the sides of the bed and fisted his hands into the sheets.

Satisfied, Louis lined himself up with Harry’s cock and slowly sank down.

He heard Harry’s breath hitch as he moved.

“Fuck,” he swore. “Fuck you’re tight.”

“Yeah. You like that?”

Harry nodded, watching Louis with eager eyes.

Louis bottomed out, and started swiveling his hips in small figure eights to keep stretching himself out.

“Do something, please,” Harry nearly begged.

“Like what?”

Louis shifted so that he was hovering over Harry.

He held himself up with one hand while running the other all over Harry’s chest.

“Like this?”

He ducked his head down and started kissing up Harry’s neck.

Harry moaned at the contact.

Louis could feel him tensing up underneath his fingertips, struggling to hold on to the sheets.

“How about this?”

He sent his hand to Harry’s nipple and gently twisted and tugged at it.

Harry’s eyes quickly fluttered shut and his groans got even louder.

“Is that good?”

Harry nodded.

Louis glanced up at Harry’s face. He noticed the flush of his cheeks and heard the soft pants coming from his mouth.

He couldn’t resist planting a soft kiss to Harry’s red lips.

He pulled back a little, though, so Harry couldn’t catch him in another one.

Before Harry could whine, Louis rose up and sank back down onto Harry’s cock.

“Shit,” Harry whispered.

Louis smiled at Harry’s reaction.

He repeated the movement, this time a little quicker. He kept going, slowly picking up speed.

“Can I touch you now?” Harry asked after a few minutes.

“Nope,” Louis replied.

“The second I can…”

“What? What are you gonna do to me?”

“Flip you over and fuck you so hard you forget your own name.”

Louis tried to ignore the heat rushing to his cheeks. “Oh, really? Maybe I won’t let you touch, then.”

“Not fair.”

“Life isn’t fair.”

He sat up and placed his hands on Harry’s thighs. He leaned backward a little, getting a new angle for himself.

“Oh, fuck!” he cried out when Harry’s dick hit straight into his prostate.

“You feeling good?”

“Uh-huh,” Louis whimpered.

He kept riding Harry’s cock, grinding his hips forward and back on it like it was giving him life.

“Shit,” he moaned.

He was starting to get tired, but he would be damned if he let Harry see that.

So he picked up the pace, his grip on Harry’s thighs tightening.

There was no doubt Harry could feel it.

“Louis, let me touch you.”

“No.”

“Come on, Louis,” Harry provoked. “Come on. I’m gonna fuck you so good. Just let me grab you instead of these sheets.”

Louis’ motions soon grew erratic, the burn in his thighs becoming more than noticeable and the sweat on his palms making it harder to hold himself up.

He was itching to get a hand around his cock, but he resisted.

When he could feel his abs tightening, and his orgasm building, he demanded, “Touch me.”

“Now?”

“Yes, now. Fucking grab me and fuck me.”

Harry sat up and pulled Louis’ face down to his own.

He attached their lips together and forced his tongue into Louis’ mouth.

Louis slowed his hips down, slowly rolling them, while grabbing onto the sides of Harry’s face.

And then he was on his back.

Harry was on top of him, still kissing him and still inside him.

When he pulled off, Louis groaned at the loss of Harry’s lips.

Harry sat up again and lifted up Louis’ leg to give himself more room.

Then he started thrusting.

He fucked into Louis slowly, like he was making Louis suffer for making him hold out before.

Louis watched Harry move, focusing on the tightening and loosening of Harry’s abs as he worked his way in and out of Louis’ hole.

Harry ducked his head and started kissing down Louis’ leg.

After a hard thrust to his prostate, Louis cried out, and was quickly silenced by Harry’s lips again.

Harry kissed him firmly and passionately and Louis wrapped his arms around Harry’s neck.

Harry hitched Louis’ leg over his shoulder and slowly sped up his movements until he was pounding away at Louis’ ass.

But he still kept kissing Louis.

He kissed Louis like it was the most important thing in the world to him, like making him feel loved and appreciated was more important than making him feel lusted after.

Louis whimpered against Harry’s lips as he felt his orgasm building again.

Harry kept fucking him, focusing his attention on hitting Louis’ prostate dead-on.

“I’m really close,” Louis admitted when they broke apart for air.

“Good.”

Harry pulled out and slammed back in, making Louis lose his breath for a moment.

He did it again, and Louis could feel himself actually move up the bed again.

“Oh, my God,” he cried out.

He reached a hand down and wrapped it around his cock, tugging himself off as Harry kept moving inside him.

After a few more thrusts, Louis came all over his fist.

He gasped as he came, his orgasm hitting him harder than he thought it would.

He worked himself through it, letting Harry keep going until he came a moment later.

The two of them lay together, a sweaty, sticky mess, until Harry finally pulled out.

“You’re incredible,” Harry whispered to Louis. He kissed Louis and cupped his face as he did so.

“I know,” Louis sleepily whispered back when Harry moved back.

Harry smiled. “I like you, you know.”

“I like you, too.”

“I don’t think we mean in the same way…” Harry sighed. “Let me get a towel to clean you off.”

Louis nodded and let himself relax.

Harry got up and walked into the bathroom to get a washcloth to wipe Louis’ torso clean.

Louis was asleep before he returned.

\---

Louis woke up the next morning to a ringtone that wasn’t his.

“Shit!” another voice loudly exclaimed.

He felt the mattress shift and heard someone rushing around the room.

Louis opened one eye slowly to see Harry searching for his things like a crazy person.

“Slow down, you’re making my head spin,” he grumbled.

“Louis. I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s OK.”

He sat up in the bed and rubbed his eyes. “What time is it?”

“Eleven. I have to be at work in an hour and I still have to shower and get changed. I’ll never make it. My apartment’s so out of the way from here, and-”

“Harry, stop,” Louis insisted. “Shower here. You can borrow something of mine if you need. I’ll make breakfast.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

Louis pulled the blanket off himself and swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

“It won’t be much, but at least you won’t be starving.”

“Thanks, Louis.”

“You’re welcome.”

As he walked by Harry, he instinctively leaned up and joined their lips together.

He pulled back, unsure if that was the right move to make, but based on the small smile on Harry’s face, he guessed it was all right.

“Get a move on.”

He left the room, leaving Harry to get any clothes he may need.

He entered the kitchen, thankful that he at least had bagels, something else to give Harry besides cereal.

He heard the shower start just as he was pulling the cream cheese out of the fridge.

He poured a bowl of cereal for himself and sat down at the table to start eating it.

When the water in the bathroom went off, he got up and put a bagel in the toaster so it would be hot when Harry finished getting ready.

He also put a plate and butter knife next to it.

Harry emerged a few minutes later, wearing his jeans and shoes from the previous night. He had on one of Louis’ T-shirts that had always been a few too sizes too big for him and was pulling his hair back into a bun.

The bagel popped up in the toaster as he finished.

“That’s for you, by the way,” Louis said.

“Thanks.”

Harry pulled the bagel out and dropped it on the plate.

He then picked up the knife and started smearing cream cheese all over it.

He took a big bite when he was done, and sat down at the table, still chewing.

The two of them sat in silence, the only sounds in the room coming from Harry’s chewing and the ‘clink’ of Louis’ spoon occasionally hitting his bowl.

“So what are you doing with the rest of the day?” Harry asked.

Louis shrugged. “Probably going over my contract for London and looking into what else I have to fulfill before I relocate.”

“Oh, right. London.”

They returned to their food.

Louis noticed that Harry only had a few bites left of his bagel, so naturally, he decided that was the best time to bring up the elephant in the room.

“So, about last night…”

“Don’t go,” Harry blurted out.

“What?”

“Don’t go. To London. Just, don’t.”

“Why?” Louis wondered.

“Louis, come on. I mean, you know how… You  _have_ to know how I…”

But Louis just stared at Harry, confused at what was wrong.

“You really don’t know, do you?” Harry realized.

“Know what? What’s the matter?”

“Louis, I like you,” Harry cried. “I like you. You never picked up on it? I mean, I thought I was pretty damn obvious about it all.”

“You like me?”

“Yes.”

“For how long?”

Harry shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know. I guess, since a little while after you first came into the store.”

“Harry, that was like, two months ago.”

“I know! But, I didn’t want to mess up what we had. And I didn’t want to make it awkward for you since you had to come in because of your contract or whatever. Then I found out that you used to date  _Zayn_ -”

Louis tried not to flinch at his ex’s name.

“- and really, how could I stack up to Zayn fucking Malik? He’s like, a god walking among us.”

“You’d be surprised,” Louis mumbled under his breath.

“And I didn’t want to be a rebound guy, anyway. But then you started talking about New York and London, and you were so excited to see your family and get out of town, and I didn’t want to put this on your shoulders. I couldn’t take that excitement away from you.”

Louis stared at Harry, not knowing how he was supposed to react.

Harry was one of his best friends. But did he like him the same way?

It’s just that, he was tired of this town, of the rejection and the failure over the past few months. He didn’t want to stay here any more without some job – any job – to his name.

“But I can’t hide this anymore,” Harry continued. “Not after last night.”

Louis stilled.

“Last night was…  _amazing._ And I’ve wanted it for so long, and it made me realize that nothing would ever happen if I kept how I really felt a secret from you. So, I don’t want to hide it from you. I like you, Louis, and I want to be with you.”

Louis blinked. Then he turned his gaze down to the nearly empty bowl in front of him.

“But you’re leaving…” Harry concluded. “You’re moving across the world to another country and I’m staying here. So, I don’t know… where that leaves us.”

Harry scratched at the back of his neck as he finished his speech, not even trying to make eye contact with Louis.

Louis opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

“Look, I just threw a lot of shit at you, and you haven’t even been awake for a half hour yet. But, just think about it? I don’t know. Maybe, just…  _consider_  me an option?”

_Of course you’re an option._

Louis was surprised at his thought.

He was even more surprised to find that he meant it.

“I’m gonna go,” Harry said awkwardly, since Louis wasn’t speaking. “I have to get to work. But, just call me? OK?”

“OK.”

Harry stood up.

Louis rose to his feet as well, and followed Harry to the front door.

“I’ll see you,” Harry said.

Before Harry could reach for the door handle, Louis wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into a hug.

They stood there with their arms around each other for a few minutes, until Harry finally had to pull back.

As he moved, he kissed Louis softly on the cheek.

When he started to step back, Louis chased his lips, catching them in a lingering good-bye kiss.

Harry returned the kiss happily, sighing quietly at the contact.

When they separated, Harry had another smile on his face.

“Bye.”

“Bye,” Louis said. “I’ll talk to you later.”

Harry nodded, and exited the apartment, still smiling as he pulled the door shut behind him.

\---

Louis didn’t call.

For the next week, he actively  _didn’t_ call.

He didn’t text, either, or make stops by Pinkberry to say hello.

In short, Louis ignored Harry.

After the fourth day, Harry started ignoring him, too. He stopped calling and texting, seeming to understand the message that Louis was trying to relay.

That was also the same day he realized he liked Harry, too.

“He made you a fucking picnic!” Niall yelled. “That didn’t scream ‘I love you!’ to you?”

Niall, Liam and Louis were in Louis’ living room on Saturday.

“No, it didn’t, Niall,” Louis said.

“Louis, friends don’t make each other picnics. I would never make you a picnic and take you to the park. That’s the kind of shit you see in romantic date movies. That screams ‘I want to suck your dick,’ not ‘you’re a chill friend, let’s play some FIFA later.’”

“Yeah, well message received. Besides, I was the one who-”

Louis stopped what he was saying, but Niall and Liam had heard enough.

“You hooked up with him?” Liam asked.

“Fuck,” Louis muttered to himself. He hadn’t actually told either one of them about the sex, just everything else.

“What happened, exactly?” Niall inquired.

“The day after Liam and I talked to management about me moving, I came back home and, um, I had a few beers and called Harry to come over. One thing led to another, and I… Well, you know.”

“No, I don’t know.”

“Fine, I rode him on my bed and then he flipped me over and fucked me into the mattress. Happy?”

“Yeah, I am, actually.”

“Ew. Why?”

“I didn’t need to know any of this,” Liam shook his head.

“So you called him over and slept with him, knowing that he had feelings for you, and haven’t called him since?” Niall clarified.

“I didn’t know he had feelings for me!” Louis insisted.

“There’s no way you didn’t!”

“How would I have known that?”

“He made you a fucking picnic!”

Louis groaned and dropped his face in his hands.

“Liam, come on; back me up.”

“No.”

“Liam, say something.”

“No.”

“Go ahead, Liam,” Louis said, looking up. “Jump in. What do you think of all this?”

“Louis, I’m not-“

“Just say something!”

“Fine! I think you handled it all wrong. And you’re still handling it wrong. You shouldn’t be talking to us; you should be talking to Harry. You messed up, Louis.”

“You don’t think I know that?” Louis shouted. “You think I don’t know that I screwed over one of my best friends? You think I don’t… like him, too?”

He dropped his head back on the couch and sighed.

“You like him, too?” Liam asked.

“Well no shit,” Niall scoffed. “I knew that since day one.”

“You did not!” Louis rolled his eyes.

“Of course I did.” In a higher-pitched voice, he added, “Oh, hi, Harry. You’re not lame. I love your ideas to eat a bunch of random shit on top of yogurt in a cup.”

“I don’t sound like that!”

“ _That’s_  what you’re focusing on? Really?”

“Louis, why don’t you just try it with Harry?” Liam wondered. “Talk to him. Maybe he’ll come around.”

“Have you forgotten that I’m leaving in a few months?”

“So? You can try the long-distance thing. You still have time to start a relationship. And listen, from the standpoint of your friend, you haven’t signed anything yet. You can still stay.”

“No, I can’t,” Louis shook his head. “I said I was going; I’m going.”

“You don’t have to,” Niall said. “You can stay here for a while and keep trying for jobs while dating Harry. And if things don’t work out, then you can go to London.”

“No way in hell am I doing that.”

“Why? What’s so wrong with trying?”

“I already did that! I was already going to try moving to London because I wasn’t getting any work. But then I stayed. Because Zayn came in the picture. I stayed for  _him._ And he- Zayn… Zayn is dating someone else.”

Niall’s shoulders slumped down to his sides. “Oh, Lou…”

“No, it’s fine,” Louis insisted. “Really. He’s allowed to move on. But, I don’t want to put plans on hold for a guy again. I can’t do that.”

“So you’re just not going to talk to Harry again?” Niall asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t know what I can do next.”

And he felt like an asshole for it, but it wasn’t like he didn’t already know that about himself.

Instead, he tried to figure out a way to get out of judging the Pinkberry contest, but his contract was pretty tight.

Barring any life-threatening injuries or accidents, he had to be present at the contest at Harry’s store.

So it was on October 21 that he reluctantly got into the car that was sent to his flat to take him to the store.

He walked in to find Liam already there waiting for him, as well as a few other people he didn’t recognize.

“Lou,” Liam greeted happily. “There you are. They’re gonna touch up your hair and make-up, and then we’ll get started. First, I want to introduce you to your co-judges.”

He turned his attention to the blonde standing next to him.

“Louis, this is Karolina Turgonev. Karolina, this is Louis Tomlinson.”

They smiled at each other and quickly shook hands before she walked over to a waving fan.

Louis recognized the up and coming model.

She’d been on a recent cover of  _Sports Illustrated,_ and had also been in some Burberry photo shoots.

He only knew about those because Harry had shown them to him.

Speaking of Harry, Louis took a second to locate the curly haired man.

After craning his neck to see the back of the store, Louis spotted him behind the register, in the doorway leading to the back room.

He had a blank expression on his face as he stared right back at Louis.

“And Louis,” Liam cleared his throat. “This is Ray Davidson.”

Louis blinked.

He turned to face the singer who he suspected to be dating Zayn.

He was a bit shorter in person, standing about as tall as Liam.

He also was more attractive on television, not that Louis was being petty.

“Ray, this is Louis.”

“Nice to meet you,” Ray said, extending his hand.

Louis took it and shook it briefly.

“Zayn says hello, by the way.”

Louis tightened his hold on Ray’s hand, squeezing it so tightly that the man actually yelped.

“That’s enough,” Liam practically pried their hands apart. “Ray, I think you’re wanted over there.”

He looked toward his own manager, who was, in fact, waving him over. 

With one more glance-over, Ray walked back over to where he was needed.

“Fucker,” Louis gritted out, not wanting to talk too loudly in case someone happened to be listening.

“Relax, Louis,” Liam replied. “It’s just a judging thing. It’ll be over in an hour or two.”

“It better be.”

“It will be. Calm down. Take a walk. Get some yogurt or something.”

“Not in the mood.”

“OK, well…”

“I’m gonna go talk to Harry,” Louis decided.

“I thought that was him,” Liam said. “I saw his name tag, but I didn’t think it would be right to say anything to him.”

“Yeah, that’s him. I’ll be back.”

“Good luck,” Liam wished.

“Thanks.”

Louis took a deep breath before walking toward the back of the store.

Harry watched him as he moved, dropping his gaze lower and lower as Louis got closer.

“Can we talk?” Louis asked cautiously.

Harry slowly blinked a few times before looking up.

The hurt in his eyes was as clear as anything Louis had ever seen before.

“Why? What could you possibly have to say to me after a week of zero contact whatsoever?”

“Please, Harry?”

“Why?”

“Harry, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I freaked out.”

“About what?”

“Everything. You said all those things that morning, and I don’t know if I can give you the kind of relationship you’re looking for.”

“So you couldn’t just tell me that? You couldn’t mention it before we had sex? I mean, when you called, I thought that maybe you realized what I had been trying to tell you that day we had the picnic. I thought maybe you were returning some of my feelings and maybe wanted what I wanted. I never saw you as the guy to booty call somebody who clearly liked him as more than a friend.”

“Harry, I’m not that guy.”

“And when I tried to talk to you about it,” Harry continued, “you ignored me like a coward and let me feel like a naïve fool who puts out for anybody who smiles at him.”

“No, Harry, that’s not it at all. I really like you.”

“But you don’t respect me enough to have an adult conversation with me. That’s not how a relationship works, Louis; I don’t know if anybody told you that before.”

“Harry-”

“So I guess Zayn really has moved on, huh?”

“What?”

“Zayn. And the singer standing about twenty feet away from us, watching everything we do? That’s Ray, right? His new boyfriend?”

“How did you-?”

“How did I know?”

Louis nodded.

“The past couple of days, there have been news broadcasts and a bunch of articles about the two of them going out. The first one came out last week, the same night you called me up and asked me to come over. Was that a coincidence?”

Louis felt his jaw slightly drop. Harry was never supposed to figure that out.

“Um, I-“

“Thought so.”

Louis looked down at his feet, unsure of how he could possibly make this better.

“Remember a few weeks ago, when you told me that before you started dating Zayn, you thought about moving?" Harry asked. "Getting a fresh start since there wasn’t anything to hold you down here?”

Louis nodded slowly.

“Then you talked to your management about moving to London, and got some interest from some West End directors and will probably be going in the next few months?

Louis nodded again.

“Well, consider this your official, final sign to fill out all the paperwork.”

“What- What does that mean?”

“It means, that now there’s really _nothing_  holding you back from moving to London or New York or anywhere else that your heart desires. There’s nothing left for you here anymore.”

Louis blinked back tears once he realized what Harry was saying.

“Harry… I-”

Harry’s jaw clenched and he stood up straighter.

Without another word, he brushed past Louis, walking away from him like he wasn’t even there.  

“Louis, you ready?” Liam called from across the room.

He took one last glance at Harry, who stood hunched over behind the register, avoiding eye contact.

“Yeah,” Louis figured. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

\---

Louis got home later that afternoon, worn out from all the unexpected press of the day’s events.

He’d painfully had to award first prize to a Minion themed dessert, made up of banana yogurt, blueberries, dark chocolate crisps, and popping boba for eyes.

Luckily, he’d been able to pay homage to his favorite movie,  _Grease,_ by giving second place to the ‘Danny Zuko’ recipe: vanilla yogurt, milk chocolate crunch, blueberries and a brownie bite on top.

He flopped down on his couch and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

He knew Harry would still be at work for a while.

But even if Harry was off and Louis called him, he didn’t know what he would say.

‘Sorry’ just didn’t seem like it would be enough.

‘I’m an asshole’ would be justified, but also wouldn’t convey how disappointed he felt in himself.

‘I fucked up, but I like you and I hope you’ll forgive me’ seemed pretty close.

Louis went back and forth in his head over what to say.

Eventually, he opened up a new text message and just sent five simple words.

**_Louis: I don’t deserve you anyway._ **

\---

It wasn’t until that weekend that Louis tried again.

He owed a big ‘Thank you’ to the heavens above for that one, if he was being totally honest with himself.

He was in the kitchen, looking through the fridge for something to eat, when his phone rang.

He reached into his back pocket and pulled it out.

He didn’t recognize the number on the screen, but he answered it anyway.

“Hello?”

He pushed aside the milk on the bottom shelf to see what was behind it.

“Hi, I’m calling for Louis Tomlinson.”

“Speaking.”

“Hello Mr. Tomlinson, my name is Sophia Smith, and I’m with The Film Foundation.”

“The Film Foun- Oh, holy shit!”

He jumped up, totally forgetting that he was still partially inside of his fridge.

“Fuck!” he yelled, hitting the back of his head on the top of the fridge as he came up.

“Mr. Tomlinson, are you OK?”

“Yes, Ms. Smith, I am,” he answered, rubbing the back of his head. “Sorry, just got too excited.”

“Oh. OK, then. Anyway, I was just calling to talk about your audition for Mr. Scorsese’s new untitled project?”

“Yes, ma’am; I remember.”

“Sorry it took so long to get back to you on that; we’ve been going through some difficulties down at the studio and haven’t been able to call anybody back.”

“Oh, that’s fine. I understand.”

“So, we wanted to know if you would be available to come in on Tuesday for a screen test with the female lead.”

Louis stilled, not wanting to jump the gun with even more excitement.

“I’m sorry. Are- Are you telling me I got the part?”

“Not quite yet, Mr. Tomlinson. Mr. Scorsese did like you the most out of all the auditions he watched, but we need to make sure you have chemistry with your female counterpart.”

“And who would that be?”

“Natalie Portman.”

Louis’ eyes bulged out of his head.

_Natalie Portman._

Definitely Louis’ biggest celebrity crush.

He still remembered being star struck the first time he met her at an after party for one of the award shows a few years back.

And now he might be starring in a movie with her. In a Martin Scorsese movie, no less.

“Mr. Tomlinson? Are you still there?”

“Yes, I’m still here,” he rushed out. “And I would love to come in on Tuesday.”

“Wonderful. I’ll e-mail you all of the details. We’ll see you Tuesday morning.”

“This is amazing. Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome. Have a good day.”

“Same to you.”

He hung up the phone and didn’t have any idea of what to do with himself.

Part of him wanted to run around the flat and downstairs on the street, screaming in victory at the top of his lungs.

Another part of him wanted to call up Liam and Niall and hit up a club with them. Or get drunk in his living room. Either one was fine.

A third wanted to call his mom and scream over the phone how excited he was, and hope that he didn’t blow out her eardrum.

But a fourth part of him wanted to call Harry and tell him.

If he got the role in this movie, then that meant that he would stay in L.A.

That meant that he could possibly repair what he screwed up.

He went back to his phone and called Harry.

He didn’t think Harry would answer, so he was unsurprised when it went straight to voicemail.

“I’m sorry,” he started apologizing after the beep, signaling his time to leave a message. “I’m oblivious. And an idiot, and I should’ve picked up on the signs sooner that you felt that way about me, and I’m so sorry that I didn’t. I just wanted you to know that.”

He hung up, not wanting to say anything else, just in case he didn’t get the part.

He didn’t want to get his or Harry’s hopes up, only to have them crushed by getting rejected.

In the meantime, he called Liam.

He had a manager to update.

\---

Louis nailed his audition.

At least, he thought he did.

He got all of his lines right, and showed the right amount of emotion on his face when he spoke to Natalie on camera.

Natalie. 

He was on a first name basis with Natalie fucking Portman.

He couldn’t believe his life sometimes.

After he finished, Martin fucking Scorsese came up to him and said, “Good job, Louis. I think this might work out. I’ll be in contact by this weekend.”

Louis had simply nodded, dumbstruck by the fact that he was in the same room as Martin Scorsese and Natalie Portman and he hadn’t spontaneously combusted yet.

He got in his car after leaving the studios.

He started driving, and didn’t realize he was going to Pinkberry until he was pulling into the lot around the corner.

Louis hesitated, not knowing if Harry was even working.

He also didn’t know if Harry would actually give a rat’s ass if he walked in.

Figuring he had nothing to lose, Louis took a deep breath and got out of the car.

He walked swiftly toward the store, and opened the door without giving himself a chance to overthink it.

There were two other people in line, and Louis got in behind them.

Harry hadn’t noticed him yet.

He was ringing up one girl at the register.

He gave her the change and moved back to the start to help the next person.

Louis couldn’t get over how beautiful he looked: his long, brown hair tied back and piled near the top of his head, a slight flush to his cheeks, likely from moving around quickly to help all of the customers, his green eyes shining brightly as he listened to what the girl at the start of the line wanted.

Louis liked him  _so much._

He didn’t know what he was going to say, but judging by how everything had been so messed up before, he figured the truth would be a good place to start.

Harry noticed him when he was next up in line.

Louis noted the sudden tension in Harry’s neck and shoulders while he helped the boy in front of him.

Harry kept stealing glances at him, and Louis made sure to return each one.

Then it was his turn at the register.

“Welcome to Pinkberry. How can I help you?” Harry mumbled.

Louis waited, hoping that his silence would make Harry look at him.

But it didn’t work. Harry kept his eyes focused on the counter where his hands rested, not even a flicker in Louis’ direction.

“I’m staying in L.A.,” Louis blurted out.

Not his best, but it would have to do.

Harry glanced up at Louis’ face, likely to see if he was lying or not.

Louis kept his expression sincere.

Harry blinked, but then he looked to the side.

“Well, maybe,” Louis continued. “I mean, it’s not definite, but it’s pretty likely. I, um, had an audition this morning, and I think it went really well. Well, the director said it went really well, so I guess that means it went really well.”

Louis knew he was rambling, but he wanted to get everything out before he lost his nerve.

“It’s Martin Scorsese, by the way. He has that new project coming out; remember? Anyway, they called me in for a screen test this morning, and I think I got it. But, filming would start in like, two months, and we’ll be on location for about six, so I’ll be here until next summer. I’ll know for sure in a few days, but if I get offered the job, I’m definitely taking it. So I can stay.”

 _‘And be with you’_ went unsaid.

Harry pressed his lips together as he processed what Louis just told him.

He licked his lips and shifted his attention back to Louis’ face.

“Congratulations,” he said simply. He looked over Louis’ shoulder and said, “I’ll be right with you.”

Louis turned and saw someone standing behind him, waiting to place an order.

He faced Harry again and asked, “Did you get my voicemail?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh. Well… Listen, you don’t owe me anything-“

“You’re right; I don’t.”

“But I was wondering if we could start over? Like, fresh slate and all that? I’m so sorry, Harry, and I hate myself thinking about what I did to you.”

“Good,” Harry said angrily. He leaned in closer and spoke in a near whisper. “You  _should_  feel bad about that. I  _liked_ you, Louis. Like, really liked you. I did that stupid picnic so I could tell you how I felt, and then Liam called and that plan went to hell. And then we had sex, and you didn’t talk to me after. Not until you had to. So no. Fuck you and your ‘fresh start.’ That means that you get to act like nothing ever happened, meanwhile I’m stuck with remembering how I tried to tell you how I felt and you blew it off for something better.”

“Harry-“

“Hey, were you going to order or what?” the girl behind Louis asked him.

“Yeah, I’m sorry,” he replied, turning to face her for a second. “Just one more minute.”

“Hey, aren’t you that actor?”

“No.”

Louis returned his attention to Harry, who was shaking his head.

“Just leave me alone, Louis. I already got used to the idea of you not being around, so it won’t be hard for me to forget you. Go to London, stay here; I don’t care what you do. Just please leave me alone.”

Louis stared at Harry in shock.

This was not how he thought the afternoon would go.

He knew Harry would be mad at him, but he didn’t think Harry would tell him to fuck off and never return.

“OK,” he said simply. “OK. I’m sorry, I…”

Harry cautiously watched Louis, his hard gaze softening slightly around the edges.

“I just wanted you to know everything. I like you, Harry. Probably more than you like me. You liked me for me and made me feel better about being a failure in Hollywood than anybody else ever did.”

“You’re not a failure,” Harry said, his eyes giving away that he probably didn’t mean to say out loud.

“Thanks.”

They stared at each other before the girl behind Louis interrupted them.

“Seriously, can I order?”

“I want to stay,” Louis whispered as if she hadn’t said anything.

He could tell Harry heard him, so he continued, “But I won’t bother you anymore, if that’s what you want. I’ll never stop being sorry, Harry. Maybe I’ll see you around.”

Harry bit his lower lip and looked away from Louis, who took a step back from the counter.

Louis slowly walked out of the store.

He only hesitated once, his palm on the handle of the front door.

He managed to push the door open, though.

He didn’t look back.

\---

Louis got the part.

Sophia from The Film Foundation called him the next day to tell him.

His first day of filming was January 3, and would conclude at the end of June.

Louis texted Harry to let him know the good news.

**_I got the part. I’m staying in L.A._ **

He got a thumbs-up emoji as a response.

\---

On Thursday, Louis saw the  _OK! Magazine_ article online.

_Exclusive! Louis Tomlinson dating… a man?_

_“Well this was unexpected. For the past few months, many wondered when actor Louis Tomlinson would step out with his next leading lady._

_It seems that the answer is never!_

_Recently, it’s been noted that Tomlinson has been frequenting a Los Angeles Pinkberry, a move considered fairly normal for California residents. The common assumption here was that England-born Tomlinson had just acquired an affinity for frozen yogurt, or as most refer to it: froyo._

_But it seems there was a hidden reason for Tomlinson’s constant visits: a new boyfriend!_

_His name is Harry Styles, and he works at the Pinkberry that Tomlinson goes to, usually multiple times a week._

_A source close to Tomlinson claims, “Louis met Harry on a random visit to Pinkberry, and he’s been going back ever since. Sometimes, he won’t even be in the area, but will make an excuse to go to the shop just to see Harry.”_

_Judging by these pictures, it would seem the feelings are mutual._

_“I went to the Pinkberry about a month ago,” a fan who chose to remain anonymous revealed. “The two of them were sort of in their own little bubble. When they were together, it was like no one else existed. They were just telling stories about their day, and all they could focus on was each other.”_

_While Tomlinson and Styles are undoubtedly adorable together, it does raise questions._

_Tomlinson was most recently linked to L.A. fashion blogger Eleanor Calder. The two of them had a very public breakup in March._

_We’ve reached out to Tomlinson’s rep for comment, but as of the date of publication, have received none._

_However, whether or not Tomlinson is actually dating Styles is not important. What is important is Tomlinson’s happiness._

_If Styles is making Tomlinson happy right now, as a friend or boyfriend, then that’s all that matters.”_

Along with the short article were four pictures of him and Harry. The first was when they had their picnic in the park; the second was of the two of them laughing at a table looking at something on Harry’s phone; the third was from the contest; and the fourth was from the day Louis tried to apologize to Harry at Pinkberry.

The last two were less than flattering, however, as both featured a tense Harry and desperate-looking Louis.

He immediately texted Harry.

**_Don’t know if you saw OK but I’ll get Liam to call them so they can post a retraction, if you want._ **

He didn’t get a response.

At least, not until Saturday night.

“Have a good night,” Louis told the kids who he had just given candy to.

He shut the door behind him and went back to sit on the couch.

No sooner had he propped his feet up on the coffee table did his phone vibrate.

He checked it to see a message from Harry.

**_Can you come down to the store?_ **

Louis checked the time. It was almost nine.

**_Louis: Sure. Now?_ **

**_Harry: Get here at 10 when we close._ **

**_Louis: OK._ **

Louis jumped up and got in the shower. He made sure to use extra body wash and clean his hair better than usually did.

After he got out, he changed into a pair of black jeans and a blue T-shirt. He styled his hair so it didn’t look like he was trying too hard.

By the time he finished, it was almost time to go.

He grabbed his wallet, keys and phone and shoved them into his pockets before exiting his flat.

Louis got in his car and went the short distance to Pinkberry. While he drove, he thought about what might happen. Harry didn’t give him an idea of what to expect, so Louis wasn’t sure if this was a good meeting or a bad one.

He pulled into the parking lot, seeing that it was deserted.

He got out of the car, locking it behind him.

 _Don’t freak out,_ he thought to himself. It would be fine. Everything would be OK.

He walked into the store to find Harry making something behind the counter. Harry had some froyo in the cup and he was messing with what looked like Twizzlers, trying to get them to sit just right.

“Hey,” Louis said.

“Hey.”

Louis wasn’t sure if he should sit down or go behind the counter.

So he just stood there, waiting until Harry said something.

“Hang on a second,” Harry instructed.

“OK.”

Louis continued to stand there awkwardly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

Harry didn’t seem to notice, or care. His focus was on whatever creation he had in the cup on the counter in front of him.

“What are you working on?” Louis asked.

“You’ll see.”

_OK, then._

A few more minutes passed, and then Harry said, “Done.”

“Can I see?”

“Not yet.”

Harry walked over to him and flipped the sign on the window from ‘Open’ to ‘Closed.’ He also locked the door.

“Now you can come over.”

Louis followed Harry behind the counter and examined what was in front of him.

“It’s pumpkin spice yogurt, by the way,” Harry commented. “I needed something that looked tan.”

“OK.”

Now that Louis knew that, he also noted the two blueberries sitting on top of a single Smartie, with fruity pebbles near the bottom that formed a smile.

There was caramel drizzled above the blueberries and chocolate sauce poured all around the bottom of the cup.

On each side were Twizzlers, buried into the yogurt and hooked around to the other side, almost like –

“Are those braces?”

“What?”

“The Twizzlers? Are they braces?”

“If you mean suspenders, then yeah.”

Louis rolled his eyes. “Suspenders. Sure. Is this supposed to be me?”

“Yeah, actually.”

“I see the resemblance.”

“Thank you.”

“What’s with the chocolate sauce, though?” Louis wondered.

“Well, you wear a lot of black T-shirts, and that’s the closest thing I had to black right now.”

“Well, I love it.”

Harry smiled and picked up the cup in his hand. And then he smashed it in Louis’ face.

“What the fuck!” Louis yelled.

But it was too late.

Harry had already picked up a bottle of chocolate sauce and was pulling on Louis’ T-shirt and pouring it down his back.

Louis groaned in discomfort, feeling the sticky liquid slide down his skin.

But Harry wasn’t done, as he took some caramel and poured it on top of Louis’ head.

Louis knew there was nothing else he could do, so he just stood there while Harry got some whipped cream and dispensed it on top of Louis’ head. Then he put a cherry on top.

“You feel better?”

“Almost.”

He grabbed a spreader knife from the sink behind him and picked up a jar of Nutella.

Using the spreader, he made a large ‘H’ across the front of Louis’ shirt.

“Now I feel better. Niall said I would.”

“Niall?”

“Yeah, he came in earlier. Told me that throwing a bunch of food at you might help me get rid of my frustrations.”

“Fucking leprechaun,” Louis huffed.

“Yeah, well… He was right.”

He stepped around Louis and grabbed a mop from the back.

“You can go now,” Harry dismissed.

“Did you really call me over just to smear chocolate sauce and caramel over me?”

“Technically, I texted you.”

“Harry…”

“I mean, if you want to make yourself useful…”

He extended his arm, holding out the mop toward Louis.

Louis took the mop in his hand and started to clean up the toppings that had fallen to the floor.

Harry hoisted himself up on the counter and watched Louis work.

Harry showed Louis where to put the mop once he was done.

“I have to put chairs up.”

“I’ll help you,” Louis offered.

“Wash your hands in the sink.”

“So how have you been?” Louis asked once his hands were clean.

“Fine, I guess.”

Harry picked up two chairs at once and stacked them on top of the table he was next to.

“How have you been?”

“Missing you,” Louis answered without hesitation.

Harry stopped what he was doing and bit his lower lip.

“I’m sorry, Harry. I can’t say it enough. If I had realized it sooner, I never would’ve called you that night. It’s just, I’m so sick of where I am. I thought I would be more successful at this point in my career. I also thought I would be allowed to be out to the public, which I want so badly. And you were right: It was no coincidence that was the same night that Zayn’s relationship with Ray came out. It just made me so mad because I can’t escape him. He’s everywhere I look, and there he was, happily in a new relationship for everyone to see. That was one of the reasons I wanted to get away. To get away from a bad relationship. But I don’t want to do that now.”

“So you’re really staying, then?” Harry asked.

Louis nodded. “I’m gonna go out to see my family for a little while before filming starts. And then they’re all flying out for the holidays, so I’ll see them then. I really did miss them, you know. It’s been a while.”

Harry stayed silent.

“Are you gonna be happy here?” he finally asked.

“Of course I will be,” Louis said. “I mean, I’ll have a job – one that I like. I’ll be working with Martin Scorsese and Natalie Portman and Emma Watson. Robert Downey, Jr. is going to be my dad in the film. It’s insane.”

“What about Zayn?”

“What about him?”

“He might show up from time to time. You won’t be able to escape him since you’re still in the same city.”

“Then so be it. I’m happy here. I won’t let him drive me out of here just because we’re not together anymore.”

“Good for you.”

“Thanks.”

Harry looked down at his feet, debating what to say next.

“And what about me?”

“I want to be with you,” Louis answered immediately. “If you still want me, of course. I know I’m an asshole and insensitive-“

“And an idiot.”

“Thanks.”

Harry smiled. “Just stating the obvious.”

“That’s OK. But I promise that I will never overlook your feelings again. And I won’t put my job first. I mean, I can easily hang up on Liam if we’re together. That’s not a problem.”

Harry laughed. “I don’t think he would like that.”

“But I don’t want to talk to him when you could be telling me about how you feel. We lost a lot of time because of that stupid phone call; I don’t want to blow it again.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

Louis stepped over to Harry and took his hands in his own.

“You can even put me on boyfriend probation, if you want.”

“And what does that entail?”

Louis shrugged. “Whatever you want. I mean, it probably wouldn’t help to make me eat crazy, disgusting foods whenever I’m in trouble. I have a lot of practice with that.”

“You do. And that’s my fault, too.”

“It is.”

“OK.”

“OK?”

“OK, we can try the whole boyfriends thing.”

“Really?”

Louis grinned wider than he ever had in his life.

“But! If you ever screw up again, you’ll get a lot worse than chocolate syrup down the back of your shirt. Understand?”

“One hundred percent understood. I swear.”

“You better. Now kiss me, you fool.”

Louis leaned in, but before he met Harry’s lips, he stopped.

“Wait, one more thing.”

Harry looked at him with a puzzled expression, and before he could ask what was wrong, Louis reached into his back pocket, pulled out the bottle of chocolate syrup he’d hidden there after washing his hands and squirted some all over the top of Harry’s head.

Harry stood there, his jaw slowly dropping.

Louis laughed and dropped the bottle to the nearest table.

“You fucker!” Harry shouted. “You’re so dea-“

Louis cut him off by pressing his lips against Harry’s.

“Sorry baby,” Louis said when he pulled back. “I just couldn’t resist.”

\---

Liam did have a retraction printed in the next week’s issue of  _OK!_

But it was only so that  _People_ could get the exclusive interview with the two of them six months later, featuring pictures of them in their new apartment.

Both Louis and Harry thought that those photos were much more flattering.

**Author's Note:**

> So... What did you think?  
> Leave Kudos/Comments if you enjoyed it!
> 
> The original prompt was: Harry works at the froyo shop actor Louis Tomlinson frequents for ridiculously repetitive pap walks and they bond over trying to make the most absurd froyo creations (weird combinations escalate into writing things with smarties, pale blue froyo with sparkly glitter, sparklers, the world record for highest piled toppings on a small froyo etc.). They exchange numbers to send each other pictures of gossip rags using the pictures or writing about Louis's apparent froyo (and food colouring) addiction and particularly funny fan reactions. Occasionally Louis doesn't send pictures and just shows up in person to show Harry something and they end up drinking tea in the backroom after working hours or during Harry's break, because between his pap walks and a few private visits in the beginning Louis can't see froyo anymore.
> 
> Hit me up on [twitter](http://twitter.com/angelique_lee) or [tumblr](http://www.flamboyantommo.tumblr.com/) if you feel like it! If you follow me on either, let me know who you are so I definitely follow you back!


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